Sen. Gerald Hocker

This resolution designates April 6, 2018 as “National Tartan Day” and commemorates the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish-Americans to the United States. When the United States was first formed and the thirteen states selected their first governors, nine were of Scottish ancestry. All the members of the first American cabinet had Scottish ancestry. Delaware’s first governor, John McKinly, was born in Northern Ireland of Scottish descent. Americans of Scottish descent have played a vibrant and influential role in the development of this country. However, not until 1997 was this influence recognized by a single-year U.S. Senate Resolution that appeared in the Congressional Record of April 7, 1997. In 1998 National Tartan Day was officially recognized on a permanent basis when the U.S. Senate passed Senate Resolution 155 recognizing April 6th as National Tartan Day. This was followed by companion bill House Resolution 41, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 9, 2005. President George W. Bush signed a Presidential Proclamation on April 4, 2008 making April 6 National Tartan Day. In April of 2008, then Governor Minner issued a statement celebrating the accomplishments of Scots-Irish Americans in the First State as part of a Scots/Scots-Irish Heritage Month. April 6 commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, which asserted Scotland's sovereignty over English territorial claims, and which was a significant influence on the American Declaration of Independence. Canada has been celebrating "National Tartan Day" since 1993. The idea and motivation for creating a similar American holiday was provided by the Scottish Coalition, a group of national Scottish- American cultural organizations.

This Resolution recognizes April 2018 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Delaware.

This Act raises the first offense of purchasing or obtaining a firearm for someone not legally qualified to own, possess or purchase one from a Class F to a Class E Felony. This change is to deter such "straw purchases" by making jail time more likely for the offender, and consequently, to reduce the number of people who cannot legally possess firearms but obtain them in this manner.

This bill allows a hunter to use a handgun in lieu of a shotgun on farms permitted by DNREC through their Deer depredation programs to reduce agricultural crop damage.

This Act clarifies the definition of "subsequent offense" to mean a like offense occurring within 3 years of the former offense.

This Act allows a person to land food fish in Delaware that was caught using equipment or a method illegal in Delaware waters if the food fish was caught in the fishery conservation zone, the person has the necessary State and federal permits, the amount of the food fish is in compliance with an established State quota, and the equipment or method is legal the fishery conservation zone. This change is necessary so that a person who needs to fish in the fishery conservation zone to reach an established State quota of fish can safely and efficiently land the fish in Delaware. This Act also makes a technical correction to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This bill requires an elected official or other paid appointed official of this state or any county or political subdivision who is also employed by any state agency, education, or other institution, or any other political subdivision of this State to disclose such employment to the Public Integrity Commission (PIC). This disclosure will assist the PIC and the State Auditor in evaluating if the official is receiving dual compensation for coincident hours of work.

This concurrent resolution establishes the Veterans Higher Education Task Force to study and make findings and recommendations regarding veterans’ access to higher education in Delaware.

This Bill requires all statewide and other candidates that may appear on the general election ballot to disclose whether or not all their State and Federal personal income tax returns are filed and any tax due has been paid and whether or not all their real property taxes have been paid.

This Act clarifies that the representative appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services to the Human Trafficking Interagency Coordinating Council shall serve as the Council’s temporary chair for the purposes of organizing the initial meeting of the members. A permanent Chair and Vice Chair are to be elected at the first organizational meeting and shall be elected annually thereafter from among the members of the Council.